Taurine is considered to be a metabolic factor involved in the conjugation and excretion of bile acids. Taurine is also a free amino acid present in most cells of the body including the adrenal glands, blood, cardiac muscle and brain. Taurine is a major constituent of the free amino acid pool in mammalian neural tissue, where it functions as a neurotransmitter or neuromodulator in the central nervous system. Taurine deficiency in the feline diet has been shown to be associated with the incidence of dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart enlarges and becomes globular from the dilatation of the ventricles and the atria. Supplementing the diet of cats with taurine has proven effective in reducing the incidence of cardiomyopathy and as an anticonvulsant.
However, a major problem with taurine is the difficulty in administering it to animals. Taurine is an amino acid which is very bitter and only slightly soluble in water (one part of taurine to sixteen parts of water). Thus, taurine is typically administered in tablet form, which may not be digested in the short digestive tract of a cat (or a dog), thereby eliminating its usefulness.
Canines are known to suffer from seizures which are typically associated with epilepsy. Canines may also exhibit behavioral problems such as aggressiveness toward people and/or other animals or anxiety, such as when the animal is left alone by its owner, which may cause the animal to become destructive in the home. No nutritional supplement that is effective in eliminating these problems is available in the marketplace.
Accordingly, the need exists to provide an effective dietary supplement which alleviates behavioral problems in canines and reduces the occurrence of seizures in canines and felines.